Having completed this repair using the rear camera part from Ifixit I have to comment that the camera is noticeably lower quality. Its not huge - You don't notice it looking at the photos scaled down to fit but viewing one for one there is significant detail lost. My staff member has an Iphone 5 bough at exactly the same time as mine so I was able to take a photo side by side on his and mine after my repair and when you view 1 for 1 pixel in product boxes on mine the text was just a colored blur where on his although you couldn't read the text it was more obviously text. Overall though its still better than having a camera that wouldn't focus at all and being that Apple seem to refuse to supply genuine spare parts (Which there has to be a low against??? - Imagine if a car manufacturer did that) its still good buying one from someone who gives good support. At the end of the day its a phone camera not an SLR and its still better than the older Iphone 4 camera.

The majority of product manufacturers are not required to provide parts, and apple will fix items under the various warranties it offers. Car manufacturers on the other hand are required to make parts available by law. It is part of the regulation of their industry. They get a lot of protection for their business model, but have some obligations too. It's why the EV1 was pulled, they didn't want to have to make the parts, and why there are so many Delorian parts.

Put the hooks of the screen in the right place in the housing, then close it loose, don't press it. Turn your phone upside down with the screen on a very flat surface (e.g. table). Now press the housing on the screen -> no more risk for braking the screen because of inhomogeneous force applied on the glass!

I hope folks read this comment before proceeding to attempt a Sleep/Wake button repair on the iPhone 5! Apple has an iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake button replacement program, free, for iPhone 5 devices manufactured through March 2013. See program details at https://www.apple.com/support/iphone5-sl.... Don't do this yourself if you don't need to. It's a difficult repair.

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I would recommend keeping multiple pieces of double-sided tape for each step that requires removing screws. Also perhaps label them, or take notes, so you know which piece of tape (and the screws attached to it) go with which step number. It's easy to confuse screws, especially if you go past these instructions to remove everything required to replace the ribbon cable that is necessary for the buttons.

To avoid misplacing screws or other elements, printout the instructions, apply transparent tape onto the print wherever you have colored circles marking different screws. Then, as you start removing screws, tape each one on top of its image on the instructions. At the end, to reinstall everything, proceed from the end of the instructions, removing each taped screw from its image, to return it to its original position. I have done this with many iFixit repair instructions, never losing or misplacing any screw!

Ordered and received the Phillips #00 Screwdriver ($5.95 · 50+ In stock). It is a tiny Philips screwdriver. The screws next to the lightning port have tiny star-shaped holes. I will have to find a different screwdriver.

I've managed to replace the battery successfully in my iPhone5, but something went wrong with a friend's (battery status is stuck, sometimes the phone reboots for no reason).

So, i decided to open it up again and reseat the ribbon cables in case they came loose.

I can't open it now. The Pentalobe screwdriver is worn out! I can't open these screws no matter what. I don't know what to do now as I can't be sure I haven't worn out the actual screws themselves, too. Any ideas?

Saltank, thanks to your comment I didn't overtighten those little screws! I would try to get a better quality driver from a local hardware store to see that helps, the one ifixit sent are not very good quality. If that doesn't work, you may have stripped the screws.

Now here's an issue that would seem to apply to many users doing this repair: if the screen is nonfunctional, how do you power-off the device? When I dropped my iPhone, the screen went almost completely dark, midnight blue, actually. I can use the power button at the top of the phone to turn the display on and off, but I can't get the phone to power off. Seems the only way to do it is to wait until the battery is exhausted.

Ok, at the end of the repair, I tried to use the new pentalobe screws that came with ifixit replacement battery but they did not seem to fit. So, reverted to the original pentalobe screws for the final step to close up the phone. Beside that, everything went smooth. I also skipped the steps about detaching the frontpanel (seems not necessary if only replacing the battery)

Step 4 is a bit dangerous, as the Display is pulled out very fast and (depending on the position, the suction cups are placed at) it could stress the cabels connecting display and mainboard. So, please, hold the phone with finger and thumb at the top, to avoid the display is pulled out to fast.

I had to position the suction cup _over_ the home button in order to get the screen far enough away from the frame to slide my trim tool in there. Putting it down above the home button just wasn't working at all...

without this suction cup clamp thing, removing (and replacing) the screen was the hardest part of this job. Especially when the screen is cracked badly as the suction cup loses suction due to air leaking through the cracks. In this case, use tape over the screen to create a smooth surface. ***Also, the screens have rubber running along the side, so use a heat gun or hair dryer to make the rubber softer for removal of cracked screen and installation of replacement screen

I found it was easier to start opening from the top left of the display and working straight down towards the home button as there are no clips in this particular area. I realize there are cables on the right side right next to the area, however, this way requires less force as a starting point. Let me know what you think.

This part was the most frustrating part of the guide, granted I didn't do the whole thing. I was expecting to slip the plastic separator tool in-between the case and the display. This did not happen and I ate away at the tool in the process. For me after much pushing on the top edge of the case and pulling the screen away it released all of a sudden. I managed to make a dead stop at 90 degrees, but felt like I almost ripped off the ribbon cables(I didn't).

No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the screen to separate far enough to where the pry tool could get it. Reading through some of the other comments, I followed 2 other people's advice to work the bottom left corner above the headphone input and then use a pushpin at the same time. (this is not recommended, but it worked!) I made a couple of hard to see marks in the corner but was finally able to get the screen off. I also did NOT take off the connectors to the screen and skipped the next few steps all the way down to step 14. Looks like a lot of people damaged their phones that disconnected the top screen.

My battery needed replacement because the battery had swollen and was warping the glass. Looking at it from the side it looks like gasket that was partly sticking to glass and partly to the case. This is actually part of the glass frame and you need to make sure to separate it from the case not the glass. I did it wrong and ended up removing the glass but there was a metal case covering the inside. I eventually got the rest of the top off but now I'll have replace it all because I can't find a good way to glue the glass to plastic.

I initially had trouble, but focusing on the area of the faceplate right above the headphone jack worked for me. There's a slight divot that allows you to slip in the prying tool earlier than in other places around the faceplate. Once I got the prying tool in there, I was able to pop out the bottom, and then continue up the sides.

My iPhone 5 only had a weak battery. Now it has a cracked glass panel. Suction cup is strong - so strong the glass breaks before the suction cup lets go. Apparently some of the tolerances in Apple's design occasionally add up to make a front panel assembly that refuses to let go. Phone not worth repairing at this point as it only cost $190 refurbished to begin with. A note of warning - you might want to have this done by an experienced tech - go ahead and spend the $100 or so to have someone experience replace the battery and keep the rest of your phone intact.

The suction cup with the blue plastic handle that came with the kit did not work, but I still had the cup with the silver ring that came with an iPad repair kit and it worked nicely. Also, I found that the guitar style picks that came with the iPad kit worked best for getting the screen started.

Suction cup didn't work for me. I tried for half hour with my nerd biceps. In the end, I inserted an xacto blade below the home button to create a gap big enough for me to put in a guitar pick and finally able to pry it open. In the process I scratched the frame so you have to be very careful if you decide to take this approach.

The glass on my phone was completely destroyed, making the suction cup entirely useless. I was pretty close to giving up when i tried putting a strip of clear packing tape on the screen and squishing out all the bubbles. Put the suction cup on this and it worked perfectly.

Used a suction cup from my Garmin Navi. The one you use to stick it to your windshield. It has a nice plastic "handle" and made things a lot easier... almost too easy that I nearly pulled the screen off the cables. Go easy on this step.

I'd Advise Against The Suction Cup Here As It Will Separate The Glass From The Black/White Framing That You're Actually Supposed To Pry Under. I Found When Using The Suction Cup, The Glass Came Up, But The Framing Stayed Stuck. If You're Replacing The Entire Display It's Not As Much Of A Problem, But If You're Installing Any Other Part Or A Custom Housing, You'll Notice Your Screen Has A Bit Of "Play" When Pressing Down.

While holding down on the lower sides of the iPhone, I found inserting the plastic separator just to the right of the audio jack while gently applying pressure down and back from the edge popped the bottom of the display assembly up. Keep in mind to do this while pulling back on the suction cup ring, like the guide says constant, but gentle force at the same time. Another note is to have the suction cup ring vertical to align with the length of the display, that made the process much easier.

I've been using a metal flat opening tool along with the suction cup to pop these bad boys open - remember the tape on the screen trick if you have a smashed screen - so the suction cup can grip and stops the glass going everywhere!

Definitely a difficult step. Make sure not to pry the screen from framing. Also, I kept pushing the power button on while attempting separate the frame. Keep your fingers clear from the top of the phone because having it turn on while the casing is popped is a little nerve racking!

I had trouble with this step too, since I had to apply quite a lot of force on the suction cup when pulling up on the screen while holding down on the frame with my fingernails. Eventually it popped free, but came almost to 90 degrees before I was able to stop it. No damage, but nerve-wracking, and if there was a better technique, it would be good to figure it out and share the information here.

Once there is a gap between the screen and the frame, insert the plastic opening tools and move it around the screen. But don't use it for top area (near to power button) as there is a location for flexible ribbon cable.

I had trouble opening the screen due to a warped suction cup that was bent up at one spot and also due to my cracked screen. My solution: used double sided tape between the suction cup and the glass. I had some command strips, but I think any double-sided tape could work.

-The repair went horribly wrong during this step, for me. I pulled-up on the suction cup, gradually increasing force. Instead of just opening a gap to get the plastic prying tool into, the whole thing gave way at once. This damaged the connection between the display assembly and the rest of the iPhone.

-During this step, I would recommend placing a rubber band around the phone, over the home button and one near the top of the iPhone for good measure. Even better, invest in the "iSclack". In my case, it would have saved me about fifty bucks and three days without a functional iPhone.

-When I reassembled, The screen was blank, but I could still sync with iTunes. I may have been able to replace only the cables, but I wasn't sure how extensive the damage was and I was done messing around with it. I replaced the whole display assembly, and now it works just fine.

-This was STILL cheaper than buying a new phone, and I learned a lot. Overall, it was a good experience.

1. This is very difficult, you have to use much more strength than it appears and it's very easy to rip out the connector cords. Mine did not rip, thankfully.

2. Upon replacing the screen, I had to do this 3 times, I would not recommend putting the screws back in but turning on the phone and testing all screens before putting the panel back.

3. When I finally managed to ensure all displays were working, I was pushing the screen back in and cracked the glass just below the home button. This part is very sensitive as it is the thinnest portion of the glass so be careful and ensure you push from the top and go all the way around. I also had to do this twice because after cracking the glass on the first try, I also realised the top was not fully pushed back.

I was in no mood to pay for the special tool and wait for it. Took the "right of headphone jack" suggestion and pushed down vertically at the edge of the frame with a "ice pick" sharp tool, " I had two of them. Who cares if you scratch the frame a little, I usually have my phone in a protective case anyhow. I kept working with this until the corner was up, and then the rest of the display was loose without any further work.

I made a series of gentle pulls and the front panel came up without problems. The opening started to appear next to the audio jack, as other people indicated. Then, I used the pry that came with the kit and the panel opened easily.

Upon reassembly, I cracked the glass at this step. The top of the screen seemed to have too play in it and on my phone—I suspect from right side brackets that may have been damaged already. Was nearly finished and applied too much pressure? to the top of the screen area to get it back into position. Snap!

I pulled and pulled on the suction cup with no results then read the comments! Ugh! Found a kiosk at the mall that will replace battery for $15. Should have saved the cost of tools. They were very pretty and well packaged though! Good fortune to all that succeeded.

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while opening the front panel, i lose control and it gone so fast. And now, after putting it back, the screen is not working. What am I supposed to do? I dont have any other phone in hand and I need to repair it immediately.

I didn’t see any side clips! Could they have fallen out previously because my screen was bulging out from the case? Or did I miss them somewhere? I managed to separate the front panel from the body, but there is yet another metallic looking panel on the body. The back of the panel still attached to the front part is mirror shiny on the back of that panel.

Hey Tom! Unfortunately you only separated part of the display panel, try to reseat the display and open it again, paying special attention to step 3 which shows you where you should be prying to get those clips on the metal rail out of the phone body.

When reinserting the screen, be sure to start from the top and insert the plastic tabs on the screen into the case before advancing the rest of the screen into place, finishing at the bottom. The screen will snap into place once lined up to complete the insertion.

This is actually very important, I was having trouble getting the front panel to go on by starting at the top. I started from the bottom instead and the bottom ended up secure, but not the top. I then tried to take the front panel back off, but because the top portion was already loose the force required to pull off the bottom led to one of the ribbon cables at the top of phone breaking.

When reattaching the screen, please start from the top. BEFORE you try to push the bottom of the screen down and snap it in, use some pressure from the bottom edge to push the screen towards the top of the phone. I suggest that by the time you get to the middle of the phone (starting from the top), you do this. It will allow for getting the clips at the bottom by the sync cable clipped in and will sit nicely and allow for you to use overall pressure to make sure the whole screen is secured. I didn't do this and I damaged the seal on the right side of the phone and almost separated my screen from the digitizer trying to reseparate it to reattach the screen. Be very carefull to follow these steps I listed. If you do this while reattaching the screen, you'll have no problem.

I also agree with it being not necessary to remove the complete front panel. I just kept it attached and kept it at an angle as I pulled with gentle, continuous force (at a 45 degree angle as suggested) on the battery pull tab. It eventually came loose, I set the new battery in and everything works perfectly.

That's the way I did it too. I put a piece of packing tape from the screen, over the top of the phone, and onto the back. That kept me from putting any pressure on the ribbon cable should the phone slip and the whole screen try to lift away from the backing.

Be careful taking the front panel off. I tried to pull it very careful but it ripped. One of the cables was damaged but luckily, it was the cable that goes out with the old front panel. It also ripped 4.1 mm Phillips screw from step 13 and it jumped to the floor. I was lucky and recovered it from the floor.

In the end everything was fine and phone works great. But remember to be super careful.

BE VERY CAREFUL!! While trying to open the phone, I was must've tried a little too much and the screen came off in one shot, and it damaged the ribbon cables. Screen didn't turn on, and it cost 100$ to repair. BE VERY CAREFUL.

Hello guys, I would like to first thank iFixit for these amazing repair guides they have always worked for me! Thank you!.

When reassembling the phone make sure to put the screen from top to bottom, but be aware there are 2 small flaps on the top left side of the screen (you can notice them using another iphone as a flashlight) if you don't put these 2 flaps first then you are going to have a little space between the top part of the screen and the aluminum frame, at least this happened to me and then I inspected the screen using a flashlight and then I found these 2 tiny flaps behind the screen near the top left corner.

Was it just me or did anyone else discover a ribbon cable (or something like it) on the bottom end of the phone (under the home button)? It kept me from opening the front panel more than 30 degrees or so, making the replacement impossible. Thoughts?

What the heck only the top part of the lcd came off, NOT together with the shield plate. I used the stupid islack opener but only the very top layer came up. I don't see the battery or anything underneath because the shield plate is still in there. I can't even put it back closed and resuction it open because the shield plate is solidly stuck in and there is a cable at the top not settling properly. I have an open lcd top part of this phone. IDK man, PLEASE ADVISE.

Hi Gabrielle, sorry you're having trouble! This frame step was meant to show you how to avoid that issue, however, you should be able to use it to pry up the frame and shield plate. You'll need to carefully pry the frame itself up. Insert a thin prying tool between the black or white plastic display frame, and the metal phone case, to lift the frame assembly out of the phone body. If you continue to have trouble, try posting a question in our forum for faster feedback!

Hello, I've changed the earphone piece on my iPhone5 following this guide but I've skipped from step 9 directly to step 17 without problem, just shutting down first. Once opened I've tied the iPhone's body vertically to a small box with an elastic ring, the display assembly resting horizontal at some 90 degrees allows enough place to unscrew and replace the earpiece.

So easy! My biggest problem is my eyesight. LOL! Had to wear glasses and use a magnifying glass. Battery took about 20 minutes. Re-installing the cover for the screen ribbons was the toughest for me. If you cant see...have someone hold the screen while you gently wrestle the screws, while holding the plate, back in.

I found the suction cup to be very effective in removing the front glass. Didn't take that much force to start to see the glass separate from the frame. It's a lot easier if you have a fingernail you can insert when you start to see the glass separate from the frame so that you can let go of the suction cup ring and grab a spudger to pry down one side and then the other.

When reassembling, be sure to work from the top down to get the screen display in place. There are three hooks at the top that need to be seated otherwise they will bend and prevent the top from popping in flush.

Add a rubber band in the picture as mentioned, I couldn’t figure out how it should be positioned, also put in instructions that front panel does not have to be disconnected as I agrree with some of the other comments it is difficult to reattach the plate, although it may be a lot easier to pry the battery out without messing with the vertical top. Otherwise, great instructions, thanks Ifixit,new iPhone battery is wonderful. Bil - 1/16/2018

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When reassembling, note the black jumper cable that runs next to the battery ribbon cable. Sometimes this jumper comes off its little groove and can make seating the battery ribbon cable tricky. The black jumper should travel up that little ramp and then curve to the right.

A note about screw management: ALWAYS remove screws from left to right if you are just putting them in order of removal on a magnetic trey, it helps with re-assembly. If you can, I recommend getting a magnetic white board and writing the size of the screws on it and categorizing by that, it makes it way easier and you won't ever have to worry about putting the wrong size screw in anywhere ever again.

It helps if you have fine pointed forceps to remove the thin delicate plate after removing the screws. long pointed forceps also help in placing the screws into their holes when you're putting everything back together at the end.

ifixit should include replacement screws in the kit. i lost one and the plate is now held with one screw. Also the video leaves ALOT out. Plus no need to take cover off; you can replace battery easily without doing that step.

I can also confirm that the Phillips 000 that came with the kit did not work on these. I used another screwdriver from a glasses repair kit and that worked great. Seems odd they would include a tool that is unable to remove the battery connector bracket. I would have been up a creek if I didn’t have the right tool already.

The screws have, indeed, Phillips 000 heads. The problem can be that the Phillips 000 driver BIT supplied with the repair kit is of INFERIOR QUALITY! I have extensive experience with Phillips head screws, and no amount of firm pressure and proper driver seating would loosen the screws. I found a micro-tool kit I had for repairing computers, grabbed the Phillips 000 bit, and it worked PERFECTLY! The instructions are pretty good, but the QUALITY of the tools supplied is a real PROBLEM.

I had this iPhone 5 battery changed previously at the Apple Store Manchester Trafford on opening the front it was clear that the red screw was missing and only the other screw was in place…. presumably an apple store screw up.

Note the long, thin forceps in the photo. These aren't included in every vendor's tool set that ships with the replacement battery and I found it a necessary tool not only for removing this particular plate, but also for positioning the screws back into their holes when you're putting the thing back together. If your replacement kit doesn't include that tool, they're only a couple of bucks and you can get them at any computer geek shop like Micro Center.

When prying, make sure you do it from the TOP or far TOP RIGHT corner using ONLY a spudger, and NOT like it is shown here on the picture.

There is a component next to the battery connector that is easily torn off the board if you're not careful. It's a common mistake made by somebody who have never done the repair before. This will make it so the phone looks like it's charging but only ever discharges. The component is the filter for the gas gauge line which is directly to the right of the battery connector and is extremely hard to see. They look like a tiny-tiny silver cylinders and you would need a microscope to actually be able to distinguish them.

The replacement battery out of the ifixit box: The connector may not fit immediately to the contact on the logic board. I needed to bend the stiff (metal-like?) cable quite a bit to find a shape of the cable that allows the connector to fit to the contact.

Ditto the comments by Salta. I compared the iFixit battery cable to the battery cable of the one I had removed and found that I needed to kind of crimp the cable a bit where it needs to fit between the battery and the connector. It's all quite stiff. Make sure the connector snaps into place!

I just finished this process using the battery replacement kit from ifixit and it went easily. I did NOT remove the entire screen but rather just had someone hold it at less than a 90 degree angle until I got the battery out. I found it took a while to slowly pry the battery out. Take your time and alternate between gently using the plastic tool and pulling on the plastic pull tab that says "for authorized use only" or something like that. It was MUCH easier than disconnecting the entire screen for the process. Hope this helps.

Rule #1 on electronics repair methodology: to prevent damage to the electronics, power should be the first thing to be removed and the last to be restored. I'd disconnect the battery before touching anything else, a slip of the screwdriver or a loose screw could cause a fatal short circuit.

So, of COURSE I dropped the screw that you are not supposed to lose. I was being careful, but as I did not want to lose track of it, I attempted to put it back ing the phone FIRST. Bad idea. This makes the plate kind of springy, and my screwdirver slipped, and the screw popped up, spun in the air, fell between my legs, bounced off my padded chair, and clattered around on the floor. I searched for an hour, and could not locate it. BE IT KNOWN, at least in MY CASE, the screw WAS INDEED attracted to my magnet (I keep a powerful round magnet stuck to the shaft of my drivers to provite the magnetism, far more powerful than a regular magnetic screwdriver. This being the case, I WAS able to provide a substitute fron a bag of iphone 4 screws, and my compass calibrated flawlessly upon power-up. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY, but I thought I'd add my experience.

Be warned, the 1.6mm screw is exceptionally easy to strip. I haven't been able to get it out yet (already tried rubber band trick and a few others) and am on the verge of giving up. The #00 screwdriver that comes with the set did not do a very good job of catching.

Were you ever able to get it out? Mine seemed stripped from the get go, rendering my attempt to troubleshoot my blank screen fruitless. Rubber band, glue, flat-head all did not work for me. Buying a soldering iron tomorrow to try that.

I did the repair without disconnecting the screen. I skipped down to step 13 and carefully held the screen while removing the battery. Adds a small element difficulty, but helps prevent all the issues others are having when reconnecting the screen.

The non-magnetized screw was very difficult to install. This is how I ultimately succeeded:

Install the two magnetized screws first. They are easy because the magnetized screws will stick to then end of the screwdriver. They will hold the cable bracket in place.

Place the third, non-magnetized, screw on the center of the cable bracket. Take a toothpick and nudge the screw toward the screw hole. The threaded part of the screw (the shaft) has enough weight that it will fall into the hole, and the head of the screw will be pointed upward. You will then be able to use the screwdriver.

Put a piece of tape on the table sticky side up. Set the screw on the tape head down. lift the tape and guide the screw in place. drive the head of your screw driver through the tape and tighten screw. lift off tape. throw away. :)

The tape trick works well. Another way is to dip the screwdriver in alcohol (isopropanol, do NOT use water) and put the screw on its tip. It will be held there until the liquid is evaporated, which should be sufficient to put it in place.

When putting it back together, I replugged in all three of the ribbon cables and powered on the phone to test before putting everything back together. All was OK except for the Home button, it had no effect when pressed. I ended up unplugging and replugging the 3 ribbon cables a few times and retrying. I then cleaned the connectors using a can of compressed air, screwed the little silver cover back on and snapped the whole phone back together, hoping everything would be fine. It was. I don't know if the problem was a dirty connector, or if you need to close the phone to make the home button work again.

I recommend wiping the plastic prying tool after lifting the screen off, it gets dirty from the gunk build up and some of that could eventually fall inside the phone.

My battery was really stuck, so much that the plastic tab broke when pulling. I followed someones advice to heat the back of the phone with a hair dryer, still wasn't super easy but I managed to get the battery out, only deforming it slightly.

Step 9-12 are totally unnecessary unless you need to replace a broken screen. All you need is to keep the front panel in a vertical position once the front is open. The battery can be removed without taken out the 3 connectors which by the way the screws are very very tiny and difficult to put back.

Invest in and use some colored Sharpie Pens... I color the tops of the screws orange and red etc. to match the colors of the circles in this guide. Then when I go to put them back in there's no doubt as to which screw is the correct size.

I found that it wasn't at all necessary to remove the front glass. I did need to use a hair dryer to soften the glue holding the battery, but I simply laid the phone down on the face glass and blew the hot dryer on the back for a couple of minutes at almost point blank range. Then I simply held the phone open with one hand, making sure the front glass never went back more than about 80 degrees (no need to stretch it all the way to 90 degrees), and used my other hand to work the spudger around the battery, making sure not to touch any delicate electronics in the area. The top right corner gave away first and then I worked it down from there and the battery came out pretty easily. The trick is to use the hair dryer for a few minutes beyond the phone being too hot to hold in your hand! (you might need to use a towel to pick it up when you pry the battery out.)

The battery of my 2012 iPhone 5 was working well but started to inflate pushing the front panel assembly out from the case. Replacing is faster and easier than on iPhone 5s. No need to remove the front panel completely, just holdig it at near 90º is enough but needed to warm the case to soften the battery glue. Thanks to iFixit for this guides and you guys for your comments.

I rushed in and did steps 13 to 16 without reading the warning. There were some unexpected events that happen. The short version of this story is my screen comes up with funny looking grey squares but phone is still usable. I don’t care as my main phone is an iPhone SE and I bought the battery as a learning exercise. Plus iOS 11 doesn’t install on an iPhone 5 so it’s days are numbered as a productivity tool.

Long version. Dissemble was easy. I made sure I had used the phone so the battery was warmed up . First problem with reassembly is in step 13 the bottom most 1.2mm wasn’t biting and screwing in. So it looked like the top of the hole got threaded. Also a screw fell out of what I think is the loud speaker. That was unexpected. This iPhone 5 isn’t my original, it was a replacement phone that came in a white phone that the Apple Store gave me when my original phone from 2012 had 2 recalls on it. So I strongly suspect this is a factory refurbished phone and not 100% mint off the line.

Remember to put this plate back such that it's sitting evenly. The side towards the battery some times tends to stick up a bit, this in turn will put pressure on the backplate of the screen. After putting everything back together, you see a small yellow smear just to the left of the battery % indicator, you have not put that plate on correctly. Open up the phone, remove that retention plate and put it back such that it sits properly!

I really wonder about the wisdom, and risk, of removing this upper plate in step 14 - unless I missed it, those three cables are NOT connected to the battery in anyway - and the chances for stuffing up said cables re-assembly are moderate to high! I can see that one would have to be careful taking that bracket and disconnecting those three cables ( I certainly was), but it looks to me like there's a case for just undoing the battery bracket & screws and carefully - very carefully - with great patience and some good spudgers, esp the black ones we use in desktop iMacs, - flat one end; pointy the other - plus the usual blue plastic ones and even a guitar pick - prying the battery out from its hideyhole! Much less stress regarding the upper bracket and the three cables while only a bit more stress over releasing the battery from its sticky grip! Anywho, I might have to stand corrected - but next time I'll go for this abreviated method. :)

please do not do this part....after you remove the bracket over the battery don't mess with the 3 cables at the top or remove its bracket. Just carefully remove the battery and insert the new one. the idea of using the rubber band helped a lot with the entire procedure and i did it in one very easily. thank you ifixit and most importantly the comments. Make sure to read all the comments before doing each step even when you r reassembling.

I confirm the previous post! It’s the third times I change the battery and I just realize this time that it’s completely useless to remove the front panel. You just have to be careful if it’s your first battery change because the original one is strongly sticked on the board. Don’t be brutal! Proceed slowly.

I think that lots of problem may occur when you reassemble the front panel cables. So just don’t disconnect them !

I also made the mistake of trying to remove the cable bracket. Once again I had to resort to another screwdriver since the included 000 in the battery kit did not work on these. But once I got the three screws removed I noticed the bracket’s top corner (near the top of the unit) was stuck even when I properly pulled the bracket back to unhook the lip from the logic board. I tried pulling it free every which way but nothing seemed to work so that’s when I checked the comments here and realized I shouldn’t have even bothered trying to remove it.

After replacing the screen I was presented with a no image screen (but backlight was ok), so I refited the shartered one, same issue, no image, but backlight. thinking I might damage the pcb, I just did a power cycle (disconnecting the battery) and now it's fine.

Be very careful here, at this point the phone power is live! a slip of the connectors or a loose screw could let the magic smoke out of the chips (chips won't work without their magic smoke, you know :-)

This is a troublesome step, since the LCD connector is particularly difficult to reconnect, and know that you've gotten it on. And thanks to the note claiming that if it's disconnected, if you might just get a black screen, you're left with having to disassemble the entire unit again, without knowing if it's powered off (since you presumably tried to power on). That's also nerve-wracking. I had this problem and disassembled and reassembled the entire phone, only to have the problem again. On the second try, I plugged the phone into power, and after a little bit, got the dead battery screen showing. So the problem was that the battery was discharged, not that I'd biffed the LCD connector.

Take a good look at that camera loosely sitting there. It is possible that it will be slightly offset when shutting the assembly back into place. This causes it to not properly focus on closeups. If you don't move it around you will probably be okay.

Also, look at the display assembly, it has three small locking tabs that can bend easily if not pushed in at the right angle into the iPhone frame. Be careful not to be too forceful. Good luck.

I am having issues removing the white lines on my screen. I made sure to connect the digitiizer connector was seated all the way and I also power cycled my phone several times. Anyone else having this issue?

When I was reassembling this the front facing camera cable was a bit longer than the previous one. I had to kink the ribbon cable a bit to get the connection to line up. Everything seems to be working but I wanted to note that the part might be slightly off spec.

I am very satisfied with the replacement display assembly (including FaceTime camera and Home button) iFixit sent. It arrived a day early, fit perfectly, and has fixed the color banding, cracked screen, and scratched edges very well. In addition, the home button now has a much crisper "click" to it, more like the new MacBook's keys vs those of an older MacBook Pro.

When I started the phone again, there was a grid pattern and touch was not working consistently. It turns out there were two separate problems. (1) We had over-handled the cables and a quick swab of alcohol helped remove the oil from the connections. (2) The first connection is really tricky to get right and comes undone easily during the final reassembly.

I had this problem too (not the oil though). When I first restarted the phone, I had white crosses over the display, and the digitiser didn't work. The only way to shut down the phone was to hold the home key & power key for 8 seconds until the display went black. Reseating the LCD & Digitiser connectors, and power cycling by reconnecting the battery fixed the problem. Hope this info helps others.

In the image you can see the camera has lifted out a bit. Mine did this too, because the old screen had levered it out. To push the camera back into position you need to insert a fine tool behind a small metal spring contact because it catches on the camera's casing otherwise. This little spring is to the left of the metal case, between the camera and ribbon.

Great pics too. Pls confirm if the three photos in Step 15 only show removal of 2 of the 3 connectors mentioned in the instruction (and colored bullets). I could not tell which was the third one to remove in the three photos. Thanks!

So I keep getting the "white lines on the LCD" bit with no resolution. I've tried reconnecting the connector like 6 times and power cycling and I get the exact same thing every time? Is it possible that the replacement screen has an issue?

Watch the soft pad between the rear camera enclosing and the top side of the frame, especially when reassembling. After replacing the battery, my camera pictures gradually showed lots of dust spots. I opened the device again and discovered that the pad had been displaced. However, I am not fully sure if that is the reason for the spots.

On reinstall, I can't get the connectors to line up and the replacement screen has 3 connectors where as my busted screen had only 2. The cables on the replacement screen are too short? Is that even possible?

I’d say removing the screen is BS. I realized that I didn’t have to remove my screen cable as I was able to flip the screen vertically while I take the battery out. Removing the screen cables causes more problems- you may end up with white squares on the top of the screen which seem to expand over time. Also it is very easy to bend little metal legs on the socket when prying the connector.

totally agree, no need to remove the screen. It means you will have to do everything with only one hand (the other one is holding the screen), but you skip so many steps that overall it’s well worth it.

It is very important to make sure the cables are fully seated. When I finish assembling the phone I too had a vertical white stripe on the display. I disassembled the phone and reconnected the cables very carefully, and also made sure the shield was properly seated. When I turned the phone back on I found a very faint white line, but after doing a power cycle it disappeared to my great relief. Also, I would definitely recommend removing the display because it’s so hard to get the battery out you don’t need the extra risk of damaging the display.

On reinstalling the front panel assembly, I had a difficult time lining up the digitizer cable. After struggling with it for a while, I noticed that the plastic shoulders of the small mounting bracket at the ends of the pins had become rounded over. After cleaning these up with a razor blade, everything slid together perfectly. Thanks so much for these guides and all the helpful comments!

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My display was not turning on and my home button was not working (I verified this by trying to activate siri which didn't work). When I replaced the display assembly everything works except for the home button. Since this assembly comes with the button and the ribbon cable, I'm not sure what else can be wrong. I checked the contacts on the phone and I see the little copper 'pins' sticking out. I can't tell if they are making contact since the display has to be closed, but it appears they are lined up correctly. Does anyone have any suggestions or ways to test the contact pins? Could the home button on my replacement be defective? I've already emailed support, but just curious if anyone has any suggestions I could try while waiting to hear back from them. Thanks! By the way, SUPER grateful the rest of the display works. I can now back up my phone and can probably deal with a broken home button if I need to. Woohoo!

I'm having issues where the screen jumps around when you get a finger near it. I'm reading it might be grounding but no idea where any tape could be applied. Replaced the screen twice thinking it was a bad part. Now, I just don't know.

After struggling for awhile, I followed the hair-dryer tip and prying in the empty space on the case side of the battery just below the volume buttons as suggested in one of tips in step 19. Don't understand the advice in the video about the only safe places to pry. They completely contradict step 19!

Instead of using the iOpener, I opted for my “patented” “Rice in a sock” and heated the sock for 1 minute, which worked perfectly. I laid the heated sock flat and used it as a mini work bench while removing the adhesive strip! My wife uses this for when she has head aches, which caused “me to not have a headache”, when peeling back the adhesive strips!

I was very surprised by how much heat I needed to apply to loosen the glue. I used a blow dryer and then heated up a rice-filled pillow-thing I use for sore muscles. I put that inside a plastic bag to avoid the moisture and pried while phone sat on that. It was hotter than I would normally make it for muscles! But that did the trick. Still had to pry pretty hard and it finally let go with a bit of a snap. I just pried with a spudger at the open space along the left side of the battery, about mid-way up.

I found this step to be the hardest part of the repair. A hair dryer on the back of the phone worked best. I broke the plastic tab right away and then used the black spudger along the outside to gently pry, stopping repeatedly to reheat the back of the phone. The battery finally released with a cracking sound. When I repeated this process on my second iPhone, I used more heat and worked more slowly and had better results — in fact the plastic tab didn't even break.

This is a great guide; thank you ifixit! If you’re just removing the battery, there’s no need to remove the display; just be careful with the cables. Use heat right from the beginning. I used a hair dryer or heat gun. Heat the body of the phone under the battery for 2 -3 minutes. Then carefully and steadily pull back on the tab. Apply consistent even force. The battery will pop out to the left and the tab that you pulled on should stay with the phone for next time. Good luck!

Best product for releasing pressure sensitive adhesive is UNDU Scrapbookers Adhesive Remover (hexane). Been using it for years on many things, including iPhone 3G battery. Worked a treat. Needed about 5 drops on the “underside” of the plastic tab so it ran round the corner to the gap between the plastic/battery and the tacky adhesive. I started with 3 and added a couple more when the battery was partly loose.. Gentle firm pressure pulling up the tab. No risk. Adhesive dries out and is ready to work again on new battery.

I haven’t tried the iOpener, but a MacBook Pro power adapter works well as a heating pad, matching the length of the battery. I just set the phone half on the power adapter and half on the iFixit tool box, and waited 10min for the glue to loosen.

Just wanted to add to these comments, the clear plastic tab (says Authorized Service Provider Only on it) is the way to go. The plastic for this tab goes under the battery and around and through the adhesive, if you pull it at a 45° angle the battery comes off without the need to pry on it at all. You will want to pull with a constant force, as the adhesive is very strong, but it starts fairly easily, and comes up evenly-- you'll be able to see the glue releasing as you pull.

Depending on exactly where your battery is glued, you will (or you won't) have enough room for the plastic opening tool. I didn't and had to leverage off the other side. Unlike the front cover which required surprisingly little force to remove it (almost ripped the flex cords joining the front and the back), the battery required superhuman strength to remove, destroying the two spodgers (parts yet to be found they flew off with such force) and deforming the battery (which personally I would have no use for reusing in any case).

Reading other comments of how applying too much force caused breaking of components I was too timid and the battery removal process was very time consuming. I recommend watching the video in the battery replacement guide. I was able to see how much force was being applied to remove the battery. I found that the opposite end of the plastic removal tool was bitting into my hand, which was more sensitive to the required pressure than that applied to the components. The adhesive was quite strong and I used the point end of a spudger to gradually pry up the battery where it was most stuck at the bottom right. As useful as the comment about using the plastic tab was, mine was slightly cut by the edge of a flat cable, it split and the tab came off, making prying the battery necessary. Being mindful of the balance of force is what makes the removal successful.

I can confirm with con (mar 4). The adhesive was pretty firmly holding my battery down. So I used a metal screwdriver to help leverage the battery out from the top of the battery. Not knowing that the ribbon for the volume button and switch from the left side of the phone were under there. I severed the ribbon and now those buttons don't work anymore. But I was able to replace the battery and everything else works fine. I just have to learn how to live without those buttons anymore...

*I then used a spudger type tool to GENTLY pry the battery out from the LEFT side of the case in the middle of the battery.

*Turns out all the adhesive is on the plastic tab side underneath the battery, so it is MUCH easier to leverage the battery out that way without causing damage. There is nothing you can really hurt on the left middle side either so I recommend this way if your plastic tab does not work to pull the battery up.

Try heating the phone at the back where the battery is with a heat gun or hair dryer (what I used) and then pull the tab, and if you still can't get the battery to start coming of give it a little nudge with a prying tool at the top.

The battery was really glued down tight, and pulling the plastic tab eventually ripped the tab off and I could no longer use it. After 15 minutes of gently lifting with the plastic opening tool and getting nowhere, I followed the suggestion about using a hair dryer to soften the glue. I blew heat on the back of the phone where the battery is for about 30 seconds, and then used the plastic tool on the side of the phone with the volume buttons, and it lifted out with very little resistance.

I want to stress that it was not a ton of heat--I held the phone in my hand while using the hair dryer, and it was hot on my hand but never so hot that it burned me. The point isn't to cook the phone, just to warm up the glue so it gives a little.

Prying from the volume side will also reduce the chance that you dislodge the GPS connector.

Well, the battery was really giving me problems when trying to remove it. I had no chance just using the plastic tag so I had to pry it loose. I would not recommend prying the upper side of the battery as shown in the pictures due to the audio control and power button cable running just under the upper edge of the battery. I was not aware of this cable and ended up damaging it when the plastic removal tool slipped under the cable when prying. I believe this cable supplies power to the vibrator as well since that's what ended up not working when everything was back in its place. Fortunately this cable can be replaced but it looks like a bit of a hassle but i'll try. Try using the hair dryer before prying too much would be my recommendation.

I put a bowl of water in the microwave with a plate on top. Once the plate was mildly hot, I took it out and placed my iphone on it to heat up the adhesive. I tried pulling the plastic tab, but nothing would happen. I noticed that there is an ideal prying point on the opposite side of the battery from the plastic tab (an inch below the volume buttons). There are no ribbon cables or circuits there, and there is a cutout large enough to fit the plastic pry tool. Pry gently there against the case (once the phone is warmed up on the plate) and the battery comes out very easily. It really seems like that cutout is there just for that reason.

The word "pry" should not appear anywhere in the this section as the damage others have experienced witness. LIFT instead with the end of the tool. hairdryer really helped with softening and loosening the glue.

It would have been helpful if the notes for step 16 (prying out the battery) had mentioned that the Audio Control and Power Button Cable is fragile and behind the top of the battery! I was gently prying out my battery from the top when I tore the power button ribbon that I could not see.

This step is the toughest one. My old battery glued on the board stubbornly and refuses to come out. It took me half hour or so to pry it out. It has deformed and way beyond usable state. The key here is to pry from all allowed angles (refer to the pictures and video), and pry patiently. Mine starts to come out after prying from the top.

When prying the battery off at the first battery position shown in the picture (the gap between battery socket the battery itself), a small rounded metal spudger (like the one that comes with the iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit) is recommended if you break your plastic prying tool (like happens to me) during this step. Just make sure that when prying up, you are not touching either the battery socket nor any other logic board component.

I also recommend to use a tool like the iOpener and put it on top of the battery for few minutes to reheat the battery and soften the battery adhesive during this step.

I just wanted to mention that the battery can be VERY DIFFICULT to pull out. I used the plastic tab, but it broke off. I was forced to pry it out, but like I said, it didn't come out easily and the battery was all mangled by the time I pulled it free from the adhesive. This guide tells you where to pull and where to be careful, but it still made me very nervous! Just keep working at it if yours is also stubborn.

I was able to remove the battery after applying the iOpener twice for about 10 minutes. I pulled at the plastic tab and used the plastic opening toll together. The battery lifted while applying permanent strong force.

I followed this advice above: “ I noticed that there is an ideal prying point on the opposite side of the battery from the plastic tab (an inch below the volume buttons)”. Worked really well. I did not have to use any other prying point. The battery was fixed with one drop of glues and with tape sticky on both sides.

Hello from Cyprus there ...i have a problem when i open my iphone white lines appear on the screen so i disconnected the battery and then connect it again and the screen got black i mean black 'light ' no image appear at anyway ... Anyway i listen the sound when the phone open or change ... Any help to get reed of it?

I can't recommend changing the battery, I did everything as shown but my iPhone doesn't work anymore. If I connect it to itunes it wants it to restore and when I do that. It sets itself back in recovery mode. I did not break anything and used only plastic tools to remove the parts. Even after I put the old battery back in it still shows the "connect to iTunes"

Hi, I thought that when I prised the battery out, I'd knocked 2 chips off the logic board, chances are this is what's happened to you too... They need to change this tutorial to use the plastic tab to remove the battery as I've seen several people with this issue. The only way to fix this is to get 2 jumpers soldered onto the logic board. For now, I used tinyumbrella to get it out of recovery mode & I have enable to assistive touch options.

Any luck finding a solution to this? I replaced my battery and the repair went relatively smoothly... but now it's stuck in an endless loop trying to restore the firmware. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Quick tip: Don't completely peel away the plastic from the base of the phone. The plastic has a mechanical (but not electrical) purpose and should not be removed. The step directions make it seem that you can peel away the plastic, but don't do that. Peel and pry the battery out but leave the plastic in place. I made this mistake and Apple wouldn't repair my iPhone because the plastic was missing. The guy said that the plastic holds the circuitry in place and away from the battery. Do not remove the plastic.

Well, I followed all the instructions...took some time/muscle to get both the cover off and the battery out. I followed all the instructions and when I put it back together, all I get are white lines on the screen. shoulda paid the extra $50 for apple to do the battery replacement.

After replacing my battery on iPhone 5, my GPS was shotty and couldn't pinpoint my exact location. Opened it back up and realized that that longer thiner cable running the length of the battery on the circuit board side wasn't clipped in its spot. WORKS LIKE A CHARM NOW!

Be careful to make sure your replacement battery gets put in the case seated at the bottom, if not when you close up the front facing camera will be on the battery and if you force it (not realizing) you will damage the front camera

The first time I put the phone back together, I turned it on but had a black screen. I took it back apart and put it back together again, same thing. I thought that I must had torn something but kept tinkering with it. I discovered that some of the foam adhesive strip that goes on top of one of the wiring harnesses that snaps the screen back to the phone had come off and was actually on the receiving side of the wiring connector bracket (probably not using proper terms here). I used the plastic tool that came with the kit and removed it (I was careful not to touch with my fingers for fear or oil getting on the harness). Tried again still nothing.. thankfully I did not give up as it turns out that connector on the far right of the screen connection harness is tricky. I thought I had heard it click before, but I really looked at this time and realized I had to turn it slightly inward to get it perfectly straight, and then it clicked. Success! Hope this helps someone.

The recovery mode problem as ive found so far is unfixable apple geeks said its toast as well as att. Ive tryed redsn0w and tinyumbrella to kick it out of recovery mode and it does but restarts right back into it. Itunes fails to update or restore. This is a significant risk to be sure, i had no problems changing the battery no clips broken no unnecessary prying and its well powered brick now.on the plus side im gonna leave it plugged in cause im hoping the added power drain will end the zombie apoc sooner.

I thought I'd done something wrong because my phone would not turn on.... even after a few hours. I finally charged it overnight and then did a hard restart (holding the power button and home button at the same time) and it worked! I have no experience doing this sort of thing and it was a little intimidating, but the video really helped, and it was manageable... not easy, but if you have the motivation and steady hands you should be able to pull it off.

I thought I did everything correctly but my phone didn't power on as I thought it should. I went back and double checked that everything was connected correctly (which I hope it is and I didn't damage anything in the process) I figure maybe the battery has to charge but usually once it plugs in after a few minutes it shows that its charging and in this case it is not charging. Also, I received a liberation kit with a small piece on it. Can you tell what this is for?

This is hard. Tab broke pretty easy and a hair dryer did nothing. I put a plat in the microwave with a large bowl of water under it. Heated it till I could barely touch it and then laid the phone on it. Make sure the plate is big enough for the whole back of the phone to touch it. Leave it on a few minutes and the phone should get pretty hot but still touchable. I GENTLY pried at the top and on the outside edge and it came out fine. Patience is a huge virtue on this step.

When you install the new battery, if the compartment is a bit larger than the battery, push the battery over to the side wall and leave about 1mm space between the battery and the electronics. This will give you more room to place the battery cable with the proper twist.

By the way, it's easier if you first plug the battery connector into the board on the phone and THEN position the battery into the battery compartment. This way you'll have the greatest degree of freedom to position the connector for proper insertion.

Have followed all instructions and was careful and I think everything is intact but on trying to charge am not getting anything. Will try leaving it plugged in to charge overnight as per someone's suggestion above. But if anyone has any other suggestions as to things to look out for / check if I can put right on reopening then these would be much appreciated!

Actually, you can skip 16-19 and 23-27 -- I found the others to be necessary.

I also think you can probably skip removing the battery altogether - I removed it just to be safe, but do not think it was necessary. That said, removing the battery gave me more room to work with (or seemed to, at least).

Absolutely true. For replacing the dock connector, there is no need to remove the logic board! Just skip the corresponding steps. Removing the battery or disconnecting the display is (strictly speaking) not necessary either. However, I would strongly recommend to do so for convenience.

This tear down and these comments were my lesson to read ahead here. My phone has been in pieces because I do not have the finger to get the antenna cable back on. REALLY wish I would have seen these comments and skipped these steps.

My phone had the bracket attached to the camera and snapped off. When I put everything back together my bottom mic stopped working. Could this top logic board bracket not being attached anymore cause this?

I was unable to remove the screw on the left. Consequently, I ended up tearing the cable right where it is attached to the left screw, but as far as I can tell, everything on my iPhone is working properly.

Whey did we take these screws out? Removal doesn't seem a pre-requisite for any other steps. In trying to put the phone back together, I can't get these screws back in - they don't seem to grab. But I also have this miscellaneous part that I don't know where it came from - it has one hole in the center and looks a bit like a wing. Anyone know what this is and whether it has anything to do with these two screws?

Some here states they are hard to remove. I used one of my Philips screw drivers. I'm not sure what type, but it removed the two screws easily. In the years that have past, doing repairs, I have got a lot of different equipments. Just be sure to use exatly the right screwdriver.

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When I did this the ribbon cable beneath the plate stuck to the plate, and this guide makes no mention of this cable at all. Be aware that it has to be re routed and re attached to its positions on the logic board or your phone will not work, as i looks like some kind of RF cable.

Before continuing to step 24, ifixit forgot one step !! you should peel carefully the ribbon flex cable of the dock and then remove the snap-on connector, then bend them down as already shown in step 24 - otherwise you can damage the main board !!!

Using a flathead driver for the standoff screws is actually very irritating. Funny thing, if you just use the pentalobe driver you used to take out the first two screws for the iphone, the standoff screws come out very easily (I think this was by design, since the pentalobe driver fits snuggly into the opening of the standoff screw).

The "2.7" mm screws are not phillips screws. The center hole is threaded to receive other screws. If you look at the previous steps, you can see the screws that screw into each one. While the instructions talk about a flat-head bit, I suspect there is a special bit for these, a "+" shaped bit, possibly with a recessed center (hard to tell without more magnification than I had.) Without that tool, the best alternate is a flathead. I would avoid using a bit in the center hole, since it may damage the threads.

A little sad that I don't have any flathead tips and missed that they were needed! Bah. Anyhow to make this standout even more? I have the iOpener with a decent assortment of tips so my overconfidence made me miss the requirement. Thanks.

My spudger tip broke-off inside one of the standoff screws, so after trying a few things to clear the plastic tip manually, I just took the standoff screw out and held it up to open flame. The tiny bit of plastic burned-away in no time at all and after cooling the standoff screw down, it worked just fine again :-)

I second John Mihalko's comment - when reassembling the logic board in the case, make sure the button assembly cable (from step 18) is not under the logic board. It was a bit annoying to almost get to the end of this repair only to find I had to go back and take the logic board back out again. Argh.

See the yellow/orange circles? I thought I already remove it but it turns out I only remove the top screw. There's actually "another" screw in the "same" position, which is in disguise because it looks like a hole. It needs a rather small flat screw head to remove. I kept pulling the circuit board out but couldn't because I didn't know it. Be careful!

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I didn't bother taking the antenna cable off the board. I just had it flexed back and worked on removing the camera with the cable still on. It's only two screws and one connector to swap the camera out. Found it a little fiddly disconnecting it so if you have trouble just leave it on and work with the slack.

Be meticulous and patient and this is a very easy repair. The hardest part was getting the flash set in the case after installing the new camera. The new flash unit does not have any glue on it so the flash lens would not stay seated. A dab of super glue did the trick. It's as good as new! Here's a couple helpful ideas: silicone baking pads make a great anti-static mat, ice cube trays are great to put tiny screws and plates as they are removed from the phone. Number them by step so you can easily reverse the instructions!

There doesn't seem to really be a need to remove the battery. I successfully replaced the camera without removing the battery after not being able to remove it - the glue was simply too tough to lift the battery using the tab or a variety of tools.

I also completed the repair without removing the battery. I used tape to hold back the power connector and frosted plastic tab while doing the delicate work.

Fantastic guide. My best advice is to take your time. By far the hardest part is seating the LED flash....keep the "old" camera assembly close for reference, especially being sure to fold the ribbon cable to the flash under the retaining plate.

stewball suggests using super glue to seat the flash. That would make me really nervous (if you mess up with super glue, your mistake is permanent!), and I don't think it's necessary. When the bracket goes in in step 16, it will hold the flash in place.

Thanks for the guide. Feels great to put the phone back together and everything works. Just take your time and don't drop any tiny screws! I use a magnetic tray and label the screws with the Step number as I disassemble.

Feature wise, the iPhone 5 is the best camera I've ever had, but I've had it less than 2 years, and have had to replace the battery, rear camera, and this audio control ribbon cable. Fortunately, all of these parts are very affordable.

Not sure what happened to my camera, but a few months back, my photos started showing feint smudges and a purple dot, consistently in the same place. This cheap replacement camera fixed it!

During disassembly, take note of how the old camera and flash ribbon cable folds, as the new ribbon cable will be laying flat.

I just replaced the back camera in m iPhone 5. This instruction made it happen without a glitch. Now I think I'm ready to be a watch repairman <gin>. You need to be patient, you need to be methodical, you need to be accurate.

Well I just finished, I may need a stiff drink now. Read the other comments here before you proceed as most of them say just take it slowly. I guess i will figure out over the next few days if i missed something less obvious while putting it back together. A few parts were a bit more finicky than I was expecting.